In an achievement that any business would aspire to, Whitsunday adventure tourism operator, Whitsunday Jetski Tours, has been recognised as the number one tourism experience in Australia on the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2019. TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards are the highest honour TripAdvisor presents based on reviews and opinions from travellers of Australia’s top bookable experiences.
In more exciting news, not only did the team achieve this accolade in winning the top spot on an Australian level, but were also announced as number five in the Top 10 Experiences in the whole of the South Pacific.
Owners Steve and Toni Ward were ecstatic to receive the news that they had just been voted the number one tourism experience in Australia.
“This came as a complete surprise but it is a testament to all of our hard work since starting the business in 2010. Even more satisfying is the fact that we don’t specifically focus on reviews or ratings. Our focus is more holistic and has always been to exceed guests’ expectations and provide exceptional service with state-of-the-art equipment in one of the most beautiful areas of the world, the Whitsundays, and this award is a consequence of that effort,” said Steve.
Steve continued, “This award is particularly special as it is from guests giving first-hand feedback of the experience they have had with us. It is that combination of two main things, the unique product that we offer and the exceptional, personalised service that our team provide from start to finish which delivers that ultimate accolade.”
Steve and Toni acknowledge that this achievement in being recognised as a truly exceptional business wouldn’t be possible if it didn’t start from the ground up.
“We have the amazing support of people who help us pull it all together to achieve this, from our guests, loyal agents, suppliers and our tourism industry partners, to the world class marina facility that we operate from. Most importantly, it is ultimately our passionate team who deliver amazing customer service over and above and an experience whereby guests leave like friends and feeling like they have had one of the best adventures of their holiday,” said Steve.
With the tag line, “Your ride, your adventure”, Toni believes that guests are searching for immersive unique experiences that offer healthy outdoor adventure activities and tours, with that combination in mind. TripAdvisor’s 2019 Experiences Trends Report correlates with that, showing that preferences for outdoor activities are increasing, with global bookings in the category jumping 56% this past year.
“People want more adventure and outdoor activities and, of course, with that adventure comes the natural beauty of the Whitsundays, so we’ve got a good combination,” said Toni.
The Whitsundays is the only region in Australia featuring twice on the list, with Ocean Rafting also being awarded the number seven spot.